diff --git a/fs/ceph/snap.c b/fs/ceph/snap.c
index 44b380a53727..2a63fb37778b 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/snap.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/snap.c
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ int ceph_update_snap_trace(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 	return 0;
 
 bad:
-	err = -EINVAL;
+	err = -EIO;
 fail:
 	if (realm && !IS_ERR(realm))
 		ceph_put_snap_realm(mdsc, realm);